At this time we will cover four points showing the significance of a 2,000
year period, particularly a 2,000 year period of the kingdom of God.
The study of time in 2,000 year increments will be most revealing in answering
these two posed questions. First we will back off and look at time since
Adam, seeing how the kingdom of God fits into the scope of all time.

Time since the creation of Adam has been marked by significant events at
each 2,000 year increment. 2,000 years from the creation of Adam is
marked by the most significant occurrence - the life of Abraham, the father
of the faith. 2,000 years from Abraham is marked by - the coming of
Yahshua and the beginning of the kingdom of God here on this earth.
So from Adam to Abraham was 2,000 years; and from Abraham to Yahshua and the
church was 2,000 years. Now, 2,000 years from Yahshua brings us to
today. In fact, as pointed out, 1999 is precisely 2,000 years from the
birth of John the Baptist and Yahshua. So here on the larger scale we
see the great significance of a 2,000 year time period.

A second point that should be noted about a 2,000 year period of time is,
as we see in this first point, the completion of 2,000 years of time brings
a watershed event. Prior to Abraham we see the period of the early patriarchs.
But at the 2,000 year mark, Abraham became the key figure in Yahweh’s work,
and his life marked a complete change in what Yahweh performed for the next
2,000 years. During that second period of 2,000 years, Yahweh’s focus
was upon calling out the people of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (yes, and even
Ishmael).

But, at the end of this 2,000 year period, another watershed event occurred
- the birth of Yahshua and the establishment of the church in the kingdom
of God. At this pivotal point, once again the works of Yahweh were made
new. No longer was there the period of the early patriarchs, no longer
was there the period of the sons of Israel, but now we see Yahweh perform
the period of the church. So we must ask - What is next? As this
2,000 year period of the church draws to a close, what great watershed event
will now take place that will once again alter the works of Yahweh?
But keep in mind, whatever the event, Christianity as we have known it for
2,000 years will have completed its course. Whatever Yahweh performs
at this decisive transition point will be new; and good and evil Christianity,
as we have known it, will be relegated to its own period which it has occupied
for the last 2,000 years.

Paul, writing in the third period of 2,000 years, regarded the Laws of Yahweh
given under the second period of 2,000 years as the “old covenant” (2 Corinthians
3:14). This “old covenant” by the time of the writing of Paul was just
over 1,500 years old. Hebrews 8:13 tells us that “whatever is obsolete
and growing old is ready to disappear.” While the Law was 1,500 years
old when it passed away, Christianity is now 2,000 years old, 500 years older
than the “old covenant,” and of necessity is equally ready to disappear.
The watershed number of 2,000 years has lapsed for Christianity!

Now that we have looked at these first two related points regarding the
great significance of 2,000 years of time, let us refocus on the purpose
of this writing before proceeding to the two additional relevant points.

Paul editorially declared concerning the Law given in this second period
of 2,000 years - “And I was once alive apart from the Law; but when the commandment
came, sin became alive, and I died” (Romans 7:9). It is evident that
the Law or the commandment did not deliver man from death; men continued to
die. But let us now honestly ask the question - Has Christianity delivered
man from death? No; as with the Law, it has not. The promise
of Yahshua that those who keep His word shall never see death has not been
fulfilled by Christianity.

Thus we have had for 2,000 years a most unique period. Christians
have possessed the kingdom of God, they have been the sons of God through
faith in Yahshua, nevertheless they die like men. Is this period of
time thus acceptable to Yahweh; and will the church as we have known it for
2,000 years remain into the millennium? Not at all. How can Christianity,
which has produced corruption and death in the kingdom for 2,000 years, be
acceptable to Yahweh and continue or even be rewarded by giving it the millennial
reign with Yahshua? That is ludicrous! Christianity, like the
other 2,000 year periods, is obsolete and 2,000 years old and ready to disappear.

Let us continue with our examination of this 2,000 year phenomenon of Yahweh,
but more specifically now the 2,000 years of Christianity. We will see
how Yahweh views this period.

The establishment of the kingdom of God on earth among men is the single
most important occurrence to men and to God. Man desperately needs the
kingdom of God, and Yahweh purposes to provide it to man. For the first
2,000 years of mankind, the kingdom of God did not exist, other than in the
brief days in the garden of Eden before man’s fall through Adam and Eve.
Nor did the kingdom of God exist among man in the next 2,000 year period.
The kingdom of God was defiled in the original garden and had to be restored
by Yahshua through the vow of the Nazirite (addressed in other writings).
Yahshua restored the kingdom of God through that vow and by the power of
an indestructible life. The restored kingdom was then given to man
in the church; but, even as the kingdom was defiled in the garden of God,
man once again, along with the aid of the deceptive serpent, quickly defiled
the kingdom. Nonetheless, though a defiled kingdom (as foretold by
Yahshua - Matthew 13:24-33), the kingdom of God has now been among man for
almost 2,000 years.

What testimonies do we see concerning this 2,000 year long kingdom?
We will here address two of them. Both of these testimonies relate specifically
to the subject of death, giving us some idea as to the importance of this
issue to Yahweh. Death is to be the last enemy of Yahweh to be abolished,
and the failure of its eradication under this first 2,000 years of His kingdom
is a paramount issue.

The first of these two testimonies of the kingdom is found in the first
three gospels, and has been cited numerous times in previous writings.
Much could be said here, but because this point has been previously addressed,
our comments will be limited to a brief explanation of the relevance it lends
to the subject at hand.

The 2,000 years of the kingdom of God leading to the death of those in the
kingdom, is evidenced by the swine into which Legion was cast. Even
as the tree of the knowledge of good and evil possessed within it the serpent
Satan, and therein led to the death of those exposed to this scenario, so
these swine were possessed by Satan Legion, equally resulting in their deaths.
In both of these cases, death was effected via Satan, he who, of course, has
the power of death.

The remarkable significance of this occurrence recorded in the first three
gospels, is the number of swine into which Legion entered. Mark 5:13
tells us that Legion was cast into the amazing and highly significant number
of 2,000 swine! Once this possession occurred, these 2,000 swine went
rushing into the sea to die. What do they represent? Clearly,
they are the 2,000 years of the good and evil kingdom of God man has witnessed,
into which Legion has entered, defiled, and even led the sons of the Most
High to their death like any other man. One might then obviously ask
- Why do swine, which are an unclean animal, represent the inhabitants of
the kingdom of God? The answer to this reveals once again the truth
concerning the Scripture’s remarkable characterization of the kingdom of God
known thus far by carnal man. We can answer this by examining exactly
what it was scripturally that made the swine unclean.

Swine split the hoof just like any other clean animal. In its feet
it is just like the clean sheep or the cow. But the problem with the
pig is that it too is a mix; while splitting the hoof, it fails to chew the
cud - a most essential requirement!

So we ask again - Why do these 2,000 swine represent the 2,000 year period
of the kingdom of God? One, for their number - 2,000; and second, because
even as the swine was unclean for being a mix, so the kingdom of God has been
that mix of both good and evil, and as such is equally unclean. (More
on this later in this work.) Third, even as Satan was cast into the
swine, so Satan has entered into the kingdom of God church. The outcome
of all of this is of course, fourth, the unclean mix who have been entered
by Satan all come to the same fate - death! These 2,000 swine that
received Legion because Yahshua came “before the time,” clearly foretell the
corruption of the 2,000 year period of the kingdom of God that receives Satan
and leads to death. (This statement found in Matthew 8:29 that Yahshua
had come “before the time” evidences that He did in fact come early, 2,000
years early, to set up His kingdom. This “before the time” arrival of
Yahshua has led to the scenario which has been witnessed in the kingdom for
these 2,000 years - Satan, having not yet been bound, has found his place
in the kingdom given to earthly fleshed man, and he brings the sons of the
Most High to their death. All of this is foretold by this miracle of
Yahshua’s “before the time” encounter with the demons and the 2,000 swine.)

In this account, providing us a remarkable testimony of the 2,000 year period
of the good and evil kingdom of God that sees the sons of the kingdom dying
like mere men, you will notice specifically where these 2,000 swine went to
their demise - into the sea. This point leads us to, as well as affirms,
the next and final testimony we will review regarding death. This point
has not been addressed to any length in previous writings, thus we will here
elaborate on what we find to be this most important and unusual, yet most
conclusive testimony regarding the 2,000 year period of the kingdom of God
and the resulting death of its inhabitants.

Throughout the Scriptures, Yahweh has extensively used symbolism to communicate
truth. The Passover lamb was a symbolic representation of Yahshua and
His sacrifice for sin. We are told specifically that the tabernacle
was a picture, symbol, or representation of that which is heavenly.
The dove, the lion, the fig tree, leaven, each have their symbolic representation(s)
of those things which Yahweh, in riddle form, is equally communicating to
us. Yahshua’s use of parables in which items and people represented
in cloaked form different elements of truth, is a clear and oft repeated example
of the use of symbolism.

One item providing frequent testimony or symbolism by its representation
in riddle form of a specific truth is the sea. Based on what you know
about the Scriptures, can you surmise what the sea most frequently represents?
The Red Sea was divided in order for the fleeing sons of Israel to pass through,
while the army of Pharaoh was killed in it. There is unquestioned symbolism
in this account. The quail that Yahweh gave the complaining sons of
Israel to eat came “from the sea,” resulting in the wrath of Yahweh and a
plague and death (Numbers 11:31-35).

It is in the sea we find Leviathan the “twisted serpent,” the “dragon” (Isaiah
27:1), or clearly Satan. And it is in the sea Leviathan Satan has been
“formed to sport in” (Psalm 104:26).

The four great beasts in Daniel’s “vision by night” came up from the sea
(Daniel 7:1f). And it was upon the sea that He who has the power of
an indestructible life walked, and in Matthew drew from it him who in fear
was sinking. It was from the sea in which Yahshua declared that His
disciples would draw out men - they were to be fishers of men.

If you have not already surmised from these few examples what the sea represents,
I think you will agree when pondering these and other examples that the sea
is symbolic of death. It is Satan, the “twisted serpent” and
“dragon,” who has the power of death, and in death he certainly makes sport.
Equally though, it is Yahshua who has the power of an indestructible life,
and He walks upon the sea of death, drawing from it a sinking remnant in Luke.
And as we have seen, it was the sea into which the 2,000 swine entered, representing
the death of the sons of the Most High for 2,000 years. Yes, there
are repeated testimonies throughout the Scriptures that the sea is symbolic
of death.

Now, with this understanding we find a most unusual name given to a piece
of furniture in Solomon’s temple, as well as a most unusual riddle associated
with the description thereof. In the tabernacle in the wilderness there
was a piece of furniture called the laver. Its function was to contain
water in which the priests were to wash their hands and feet (Exodus 30:17-21).
In Solomon’s temple, this function of washings for the priest was carried
out in a much larger vessel (as everything in Solomon’s temple was larger
or more numerous). The name of this like vessel was rather unique, and
as we have said is quite revealing, as you will see.

Solomon called this vessel - “the sea.” This is the identical Hebrew
word used to identify the vast body of water called the sea. By assigning
this name to this vessel, prophetically it identified this piece of furniture
in Solomon’s temple with death: sea = death.

Affirming and even expanding this truth is the riddle-propounding description
of this “sea.” In 1 Kings 7:26 we find that the volume of this sea of
death was 2,000 baths, the very watershed number that has been the subject
of this study. This volume alone is of course significant, representing,
we will find, the 2,000 year period in which the priests of the kingdom, the
sons of the Most High, die like men. What makes this description such
a riddle though is that this same vessel described in 2 Chronicles 4:5 had
a volume of, not 2,000 baths but, 3,000 baths! So why the contradiction?
Is this a mistake in the Scriptures?

Unfortunately, this question relating to the numerous contradictions in
the Scriptures has come up so much in these writings, we can only say here
that the Holy Spirit makes no mistakes in His authorship of the Scriptures.
(Read Riddles and Key To Their Understanding.) When 1
Kings 7:26 records the sea of death as containing 2,000 baths, while 2 Chronicles
4:5 records the identical vessel as containing 3,000 baths, the Holy Spirit
is saying something to us in these differing volumes. What is He saying?
Let us examine this.

First, notice here that these two volumes relate to the identical vessel.
Though there may be a discrepancy or change in capacity, the subject - the
vessel - is the one and same vessel. We are addressing something here
then that is equally one and the same, singular, though changing in “capacity.”

While we see that this 2,000 bath sea represents the 2,000 year period of
the kingdom of God, it is of course recognized that this kingdom period is
not the only 2,000 year period. There is also the 2,000 year period
of Adam and the early patriarchs, followed by the 2,000 years of the sons
of Israel, beginning with Abraham and the promise to him. These two
periods were then followed by the 2,000 years of the kingdom of God.
The total of these three consecutive 2,000 year periods is, of course, 6,000
years. Based on the Scriptural testimony that 1,000 years is as one
day to Yahweh (2 Peter 3:8, Psalm 90:4), these 6,000 years are simply six
days to Yahweh. We know that Yahweh has ordered time to be based on
six days of labor followed by a day of rest, the sabbath or seventh day; thus,
the next 1,000 years of time still before us would equate as Yahweh’s rest
period or His sabbath. So what makes this period of the kingdom of
God the sure fulfillment of this 2,000 bath testimony?

During this “week,” or 7,000 years, there is only one of the three 2,000
year periods which could add another 1,000 years. The first 2,000 year
period was closed with the birth of Abraham, beginning a new period of 2,000
years. Equally, the next 2,000 year period was closed with the birth
of Yahshua and the establishment of the kingdom of God on earth. This
third period is the only period still open; and frankly it is the only period
which could have added to it another 1,000 years (based on the seven day work
week). An added seventh or sabbath day to the kingdom of God period
of the church, thus completing a full week, would bring the church period
to the consecutive sum of 3,000 years - the opposing 2 Chronicles number for
the volume of Solomon’s sea. Thus we have the answer to this riddle
concerning the contradicting volumes for Solomon’s sea - 2,000 or 3,000 baths?
These two volumes represent the changing period of the church - 2,000 years
tenure versus 3,000 years tenure; they are the two “volumes” of the one and
same vessel - the kingdom of God.

At this point, what needs to be said here cannot receive extensive elaboration
because it is not the subject of this piece. The ways and patterns of
Yahweh reveal that the church was to have had 3,000 years in order to complete
the establishment of the kingdom of God on this earth - the 3,000 baths.
Briefly stated, a 3,000 year period would bring the tenure of the church
through the seventh day rest up to the first day of the next week, which
Christianity calls their Sabbath or rest day, that is Sunday. Thus,
if Christianity received the full 3,000 years tenure, this would bring them
into their rest on the first day of the next week, their “Sabbath.”

But the church cannot receive their final allotted 1,000 years. Under
the Law, the seventh day is the true sabbath, not the first day; and most
importantly, any extension of Christianity another 1,000 years would only
extend death and corruption. Herein is the remarkable and revealing
testimony of Solomon’s sea. The kingdom of God was supposed to be 3,000
years long, or as seen in 2 Chronicles, the sea was 3,000 baths. However,
the kingdom as we have known it will not receive its 3,000 year tenure, but
will be cut short to 2,000 years, or 2,000 baths as seen in the opposing volume
of the sea in 1 Kings. These contradicting volumes of Solomon’s sea
testify to the alteration of the years of the kingdom of God - cut short from
3,000 years to 2,000 years. (There is much more evidence to this which
will not be covered here, but can be read by clicking
here.)

Having seen this, there is yet another part of the testimony of this great
vessel that is most important for this study. This second part goes
hand-in-glove with these numbers 2,000 and 3,000, augmenting and affirming
what we have already seen and learned. In addition to the unique riddle
of the contradicting volumes, we find the associated testimony of the unique
name of this vessel - the sea - and its symbolism - death. Here associated
with these contradicting numbers, we find testified the specific and important
truth concerning death.

As has already been noted, death should not be a part of the sons of the
Most High; nevertheless it is - they die like men. This is a very real
and grave problem associated with the kingdom! For this and many other
reasons, it is not profitable for Christianity to receive its full 3,000 years;
thus, according to the righteous and merciful acts of Yahweh, death in the
kingdom will not be allowed to extend to the full measure of 3,000 years,
but rather will be cut short to 2,000 years. This is the marvelous testimony
of the contradicting volumes of this vessel in Solomon’s temple called the
sea - the 3,000 year period of the kingdom of God in which all men would
go to the sea of death, will wonderfully and mercifully be cut short to a
2,000 year period of the kingdom of God leading to the sea of death.
This is the message of the two “volumes” of the one “sea.”

We have seen four points concerning the significance of 2,000 years of time.
History up to now has been divided into three 2,000 year periods. Thus,
at the transition of each 2,000 years, a significant watershed event has occurred:
the life of and promises to Abraham, the birth of Yahshua and the establishment
of the kingdom of God church, and today the transition to the sabbath rest.
This last 2,000 year period of the kingdom of God on earth has been what
the Scriptures reveal to be the swine period, a time in which Satan has entered
2,000 years of the good and evil kingdom of God and led the sons of the kingdom
to the sea of death. Finally, these last 2,000 years are also identified
in the Scriptures as a time cut short. The contradiction concerning
the volume of Solomon’s sea reveals a 3,000 year period of death cut short
to 2,000 years, a most welcomed change.